There is no “right way” to do a yoga posture. There is only what makes the most sense for your body and your needs.

For most athletes, what’s needed is a yoga practice that compliments other forms of training and enhances recovery time. In working with a wide range of athletes—from 20-year-old collegiate rowers to cyclists in their 60s—I’ve found these five postural modifications to be essential:

(1) Use blocks.

(2) Make fists to protect your wrists.

(3) Do it on your back.

(4) Widen your stance.

(5) Bend your knees.

Hello, I’m Daniela

I’m am LA-based yoga nerd and Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT-500) who specializes in private instruction, injury prevention and management, and optimizing athletic performance. When I’m not re-reading Patañjali’s Yogasūtra on the beach, you can find me conducting qualitative reproductive justice research as a PhD student at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, belting out Shakira at karaoke night, or loudly cheering on the Chargers and Lakers.